\"Vicar，\"saysoldBenny，\"hecan’trefusetomarrynoman。Lawwon’tlethim。\"Suchrefusal，heintimates，mightdrivehimtowildandriotousliving。RememberinghislastviewofoldBennytotteringdownthevillagestreetinhiswhitesmock，hisnut—crackerfacelikeawitheredrosyapple，hisgnarledhandgraspingtheknottedstaffhisbentbodyleanedon，MountDunstangrinnedalittle。HedidnotsmilewhenPenzancepassedtotherestorationoftheancientchurchatMellowdene。\"Restoration\"usuallymeantthetearingawayofancientoaken，high—backedpews，andtheinstalmentofsmugnewbenches，suggestingsuburbanDissentingchapels，suchasthefeudalsoulrevoltsat。NeitherdidhesmileatareferencetothegatheringatDunholmCastle，whichwastwelvemilesaway。Dunholmwasthepossessionofamanwhostoodforallthatwasfirstandhighestintheland，dignity，learning，exaltedcharacter，generosity，honour。HeandthelateLordMountDunstanhadbeenborninthesameyear，andhadsucceededtotheirtitlesalmostatthesametime。
Therehadarrivedaperiodwhentheyhadceasedtoknoweachother。Allthattheonemanintrinsicallywas，theothermanwasnot。Allthattheoneestate，itscastle，itsvillage，itstenantry，represented，wastheantipodesofthatwhichtheotherstoodfor。Theonepossessionhelditsplaceasilent，andperhaps，unconsciousreproachtotheother。Amongtheguests，formingthelargehousepartywhichLondonsocialnewshadalreadyrecordedinitscolumns，weregreatandhonourablepersons，andinterestingones，menandwomenwhocountedasfactorsinallgoodanddignifiedthingsaccomplished。EveninthepresentMountDunstan’schildhood，peopleoftheirworldhadceasedtocrosshisfather’sthreshold。Asoneortwoofthemostnoticeablenameswerementioned，mentallyherecalledthis，andPenzance，quicktoseethethoughtinhiseyes，changedthesubject。
\"AtStornhamvillageanunexpectedthinghashappened，\"
hesaid。\"OneoftherelativesofLadyAnstruthershassuddenlyappeared——asister。YoumayrememberthatthepoorwomanwassaidtobethedaughterofsomerichAmerican，anditseemedunexplainablethatnoneofherfamilyeverappeared，andthingswereallowedtogofrombadtoworse。Asitwasunderstoodthattherewassomuchmoneypeopleweremystifiedbytheconditionofthings。\"
\"Anstruthershashadmoneytosquander，\"saidMountDunstan。\"Tenhamandhewereintimates。Themoneyhespendsisnodoubthiswife’s。Asherfamilydesertedhershehasnoonetodefendher。\"